FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINATION CERTIFICATION

Prior to the establishment of the American

Board of Forensic Document Examiners Inc.

(ABFDE), in 1977, the need to identify

qualified forensic scientists capable of

providing forensic document examination

services, was long recognized.

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Within its mandate, the Board provides a

program of certification in forensic

document examination with the dual

purpose of serving the public interest and

promoting the advancement of forensic

science.

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

In purpose, function, and organization,

the ABFDE is analogous to the

certifying boards in other scientific fields.

The ABFDE is recognized by, and was

originally sponsored by the American

Academy of Forensic Sciences.

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

ABFDE is a non-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia. The Board's sponsors are:

•The International Association for Identification

•The Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Science

•American Society of Questioned Document Examiners

•Canadian Society of Forensic Science

•Southeastern Association of Forensic Document Examiners

•Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

The ABFDE is the only certifying body that can claim such sponsorship and, as such, is not to be confused with any other organization having a similar sounding name.

The Board is composed of elected officers and directors who serve staggered terms, and a Professional Review Committee which upholds the ethical and professional rules of conduct that are set forth in the Bylaws.

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

¨ The application of science to the law

¨ An expert who examines a document to render an opinion about an issue involving the document

¨ The issue can include handwriting, signatures, alterations, obliterations, ink, authenticity, dating or printing processes

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

¨ Various magnification devices

¨ Various light sources and filters

¨ Instrument to image impressions

¨ Cameras, Photoshop, scanners

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Writing can be positively identified based upon a pattern of individualized characteristics

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Was the “IOU” increased?

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Pencil Guidelines

Was this traced?

Ink 1

Ink 2

Microscopic Ink Examination

Examination of Inks with similar colors - Alternate Light Source Examination

What is under the obliteration?

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Cosmetic eye

dye surgery

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

“Have 48 hours to live. TOPHUONG (NO GOOD WHORE) APT#26 July 11, 1979 State of California Office of Traffic Safety 7000 Franklin Boulevard, Suite3”

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Known Stamp

Envelope Defect on Questioned Envelope Matched to Defect present in Box of Envelopes Seized from Murder Suspect’s Desk

QuestionedAmerican Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Collected Known

Infrared Color

Original Doctor’sOrder

Added Later

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Office machine – toner process Office machine - inkjet process

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Printers provide physical evidence in cases involving counterfeit, composite, or altered documents.

¨ Digital copies of genuine signatures can be easily transposed onto documents without the knowledge or consent of “signer”

¨ Desktop publishing gives average computer users ability to create convincing fraudulent documents

¨ Modern printers give forgers the ability to produce high-quality fraudulent documents

¨ The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) was chosen for final construction, review and publishing all training guidelines and examination guidelines. All guidelines are available to FDEs , nationally and internationally

¨ Certification examines knowledge & proficiency of an examiner

¨ It also requires recertification every five years after certification is acquired

American Society forTesting and Materials

American Board of ForensicDocument Examiners

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

To apply for certification, proof must be shown for all of the following:

¡ Baccalaureate degree¡ A full-time training period of at least two+ years

(or equivalent) in a forensic laboratory recognized by the Board

¡ Applicants need to supply reference names and addresses of three qualified Forensic Document Examiners who can attest to the applicants' qualifications for certification

¡ At the time of application for certification, applicants must be engaged in the full-time practice of forensic document examination (Exceptions to this rule are also evaluated on an individual basis)

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

After meeting all requirements, applicants must complete andsuccessfully pass each step outlined below before advancing to thenext step:

¡ Complete a comprehensive written examination¡ Complete five practical examinations based on a wide range of

problems frequently encountered in document examination¡ Complete oral examinations based on a wide range of problems

frequently encountered in document examination

Eligible applicants are required to undergo these examinations withintwo+ years of having their applications approved. Any applicant whofails to pass any step of the examinations may apply for retesting

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

¨ Any individual who holds a valid Certificate of Qualification issued by the Board may use the designation “Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners”

¨ Certificates of Qualification remain the property of the Board and are not transferable to any other person(s). Any individual who has been certified is entitled to the continued possession of the Certificate, unless and until the Board considers it necessary to revoke it

¨ There is only one category of certification - Diplomate. There are no "retired" Diplomates or "emeritus" Diplomates. Either an examiner is currently certified by the ABFDE or they are not

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

Certificates of Qualification in Forensic Document Examination arevalid for five years, and can be renewed in accordance with thefollowing standards:

¡ Applicants must be actively involved in case examination and other facets of questioned document examination

¡ Applicants must earn 40 continuing education credits during the five-year renewal period following certification. Credits are awarded for a variety of related activities, such as attendance and participation at ABFDE recognized forensic meeting and programs, and publication of articles in journals recognized by the Board

¡ Technical Research and presentations

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

On February 18, 2009, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)issued a report, we are all very familiar with, identifying various needs of the forensic science community:

¨ “A recommendation of particular interest … is that of mandatory accreditation of forensic entities and certification of forensic service providers. That includes identification units, fingerprint units, and crime scene units”

¨ Accreditation of the unit/organization and the certification of practitioners cost precious dollars. The current federal legislation being proposed in response to the NAS Committee Report provides funding for these activities.

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

These recommendation are sound. The need for proficiency andconsistency within forensic examinations and reports respectively, is critical.

The accreditation and certification process serves the dual purposeof serving the public interest and promoting the advancement offorensic science.

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners

American Board of Forensic Document Examiners